Columbia Man Convicted of Killing Friend
April 15, 2024
Craig Lamar Edwards (54), was convicted by a Richland County Jury on Friday, April 12, 2024, of Voluntary Manslaughter and Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime for the shooting death of Michael Booker. Edwards was also convicted of Failure to Stop for a Blue Light (2nd Offense) for fleeing from law enforcement. The Honorable Robert Hood presided over the trial and sentenced Edwards to a total of forty (40) years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He was sentenced to thirty (30) years for Voluntary Manslaughter and five (5) years on each of the other charges with all sentences being ordered to run consecutively to one another.
The jury heard testimony that on the morning of April 3, 2020, Edwards went to his job as an auto mechanic after spending much of the previous night using narcotics to include PCP. A minor verbal argument occurred at a local auto parts store between Edwards and Booker who was also a co-worker of his. After leaving the store, Edwards confronted the victim at their workplace and shot him at least twelve times. A description of Edwards and the car he was driving were given to the Columbia Police Department who were able to locate him near Eau Claire High School. Edwards then fled from responding officers when they initiated blue lights and siren and was seen throwing a pistol out of his car before finally coming to a stop in the Earlewood neighborhood.
The Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, represented by Senior Assistant Solicitor Dale Scott and Assistant Solicitor Nick Fowler, prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Columbia Police Department.